New Member and Build Thread in Florida!

[Keeb]

Hi all. Names Keeb, and I have recently acquired my 1970 stepside chevy that will be a full frame off resto-mod between my father (paint and body guy and old school mechanic), my brother (new school mechanic, electric and audio specialist), and myself (learning as i go.......and the guy who owns the truck).

This is something that we have been wanting to do for awhile, and once we are finished with mine, we will also be doing my dads pro street 95 stepside chevy build. My dad has been wrenching on race cars and street cars since he was a teen, but his real talent in my opinon has always been his paint and body work. Been doing it for over twenty years and has painted many of my motorcycles. My brother is a full time mechanic and has built some pretty cool import cars, as he is real big into forced induction. As for me, I am a novice mechanic at best, mostly just maintain my own stuff, never done any seroius rebuild or resto work, except for motorcycles, but this is a great opportunity to learn, and spend time with the both of them, building an awesome truck that I will keep for a lifetime.

Now onto the truck. It is a 1970 stepside that I had found as a roller with no motor or trans. It had previously been lowered a few inches, and sitting in a field for about the past nine years since the motor and trans had been yanked. I was looking for a roller as we already had a mildly hopped up 350 that had been rebuilt, and looking for something worthwhile to drop it into.

I came across the truck, because a buddy I worked with told me it had been just sitting on his property, and he would never get around to doing anything with it, so he let me have it for $700.

Here are pictures of where it sat on my buddys property:











































(Sorry if this is long winded, but I plan on "documenting" my entire build process here as something to look back on and share)

[Keeb]

So my brother came up with his flatbed and we loaded it up and brought it over to his house.

[Keeb]

I followed down on my motorcycle, and after we unloaded it, and gave it its first washing we snapped a few more pictures before the teardown began.

[Keeb]

Then we began the teardown. We basically tore the entire truck down in one day. To save space, we left the bed and cab sitting on the frame, though already unfastened, until we built the dollys for both.

[JointTech]

i like that one picture. "no honey really this wont cost the kids school fund" or "yes dear, ill have this **** out of the yard before I come in for dinner"

[1972SUPERSB]

Yeah I like the yard pic with parts laying around. Awesome! I'm gonna follow this build for sure. Looks like you got a lot done in one day!
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[yuccales]

That's not a bad truck at all to start with! Will be keeping an eye on your build!

[1970 Bowtie]

Welcome to the board.Looks like a good start and I'll be watching this one from down south of ya.

[Keeb]

Thanks guys for the welcome, and yes my brothers wife did about go apesh!t when she came home and saw how much we had "accomplished".

As of right now, alot of the parts have been moved into storage until we need them, and the rolling frame and cab have been transported to my Dads in Sebring, FL where he has been working on the few rust spots. Also he built a fuel cell that we are mounting basically where the spare used to go between the rear frame rails, and will be putting a flapper door in the back of the bed for access.

He has already begun shaving the stock gas cap, and we have not decided if we want to shave the marker lights as well. I do know the other "mods" that were done prior to buying the truck, is the rear bumper is actually from a mid 80s El Camino that was cut in the middle, shortened to fit the chevy and re welded. It was kind of a sloppy job, but I like the frenched in Tail lights, leaving my wheel tubs unmolested, so he is gonna clean it up and we are gonna use it.

The grill is either a 71 or 72. I will leave it for now, just for the sake of getting the truck road worthy ASAP however I want to get the 1970 grill for it.

Also not sure what we are gonna do about that diamondplate bed. I want to do a nice woodbed, but I know thats gonna be one of the most expensive parts of this build, so it might wait until the future, thinking that diamondplate might not look so bad, once I have rhino-lined it black.

here are some pics of the progress my Dad has on some of the metal work so far:

[FL71C10]

Welcome from Orlando. Looks like a good start, and you are cranking already!

[67ctener]

You made quick work of that
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[slikside]

prolly one of the best "intro to me, my truck, where we started, where we're goin and how we're gettin there" threads I've ever seen. Great pics man, keep 'em comin.

Very cool project. With the three of you hammering on it, looks like you're making great progress. And quality family time to boot.

Always good to see one saved....gonna have a nice stepper there!

[Keeb]

Thanks guys, though the work hasn't been that quick. It was when we first got her, but then she sat for a few months, due to having to have the free time, to make the 4 hour drive down there to work on it.

Its been about 6 months since my dad hauled it over from my brothers, and got cracking on the metal work. We plan on trying to at least get the frame coated, and start painting body peices here in the next few months when the bodywork is done. Goal is to have it at least painted and reassembled withing six more months. On the road in less than a year.

Unfortunately its one of those things that gets worked on, when we can. Havent touched it at all for the past two months, so plan on getting back to work after the holidays.

With the exception of the metalwork on the body (since I dont weld, and would probably make more of a mess of things if I tried) They have promised me that it would not be worked on other than that, unless I am there to do it. I know they are the professionals, but in the end I want to be able to say that I honestly put this truck together myself with their help and guidance, not had them do it for me.

[Fldawg]

welcome from north florida, can't wait to see it done, which should be the end of january at the rate your going

[slikside]

Originally Posted by Keeb

Thanks guys, though the work hasn't been that quick. It was when we first got her, but then she sat for a few months, due to having to have the free time, to make the 4 hour drive down there to work on it.

Its been about 6 months since my dad hauled it over from my brothers, and got cracking on the metal work. We plan on trying to at least get the frame coated, and start painting body peices here in the next few months when the bodywork is done. Goal is to have it at least painted and reassembled withing six more months. On the road in less than a year.

Unfortunately its one of those things that gets worked on, when we can. Havent touched it at all for the past two months, so plan on getting back to work after the holidays.

With the exception of the metalwork on the body (since I dont weld, and would probably make more of a mess of things if I tried) They have promised me that it would not be worked on other than that, unless I am there to do it. I know they are the professionals, but in the end I want to be able to say that I honestly put this truck together myself with their help and guidance, not had them do it for me.

Hey, some folks take YEARS to get their trucks where they want them.....your goal is months.....that is great. And everyone has lives beyond their trucks (mostly ) so breaks are going to happen. Besides, breaks are healthy. they give perspective, and keep the fire going You don't want to burn out.

[PanelDeland]

Looks like it's got "Good Bones".I think you shuld go back and get the Vega,cause at the rate you're getting stuff done,you run outta project soon.

[Keeb]

Another setback will always be the almighty $$$. I recently sold my 1971 Ford Torino that I had traded one of my motorcycles for. So now I have some money to put towards the build:

[Keeb]

Originally Posted by slikside

Hey, some folks take YEARS to get their trucks where they want them.....your goal is months.....that is great. And everyone has lives beyond their trucks (mostly ) so breaks are going to happen. Besides, breaks are healthy. they give perspective, and keep the fire going You don't want to burn out.

Well the "months" goal is just to get her done and road worthy. Yes it will have been frame off build with gorgeous paint (though I am still unsure as to the color we are going with), but it wont be DONE for years. the wood bed, the modified interior, the mini tub, ect. The list goes on and on, I plan on tinkering here and there for years, but I want it do be a driving project, that I upgrade things as I get the time and money, not a sitting project to do everything at once and never get to really enjoy it.

[Katrina/10]

Nice work, I like the bumper, glad you're going to keep it.

[D.PASSMORE]

Looks good! Keep the pics coming.